King Artist Residency

In 2021, the City of Palo Alto Public Art Program launched the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. & Coretta Scott King artist residency program, engaging the community in conversations about equity, inclusion, and belonging in Palo Alto. In the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, for whom King Plaza is named, the Council asked the Public Art Commission to consider commissioning a permanent work signaling the City’s commitment to race, equity, and belonging. The Public Art Commission is committed to a permanent platform for ongoing conversations about equity, inclusion, and belonging in Palo Alto through the arts. As a result, the King Artist Residency Program was established.    

The 2025-26 King Artist Residency: Artist Kiana Honarmand

Kiana Honarmand in her studio at Cubberley Community Center. Image credit: Ola Hopper.

Kiana Honarmand in her studio at Cubberley Community Center. Image credit: Ola Hopper.

Kiana Honarmand is the selected King Artist-in-Residence for 2025. For her King Artist Residency project, Honarmand is focusing on the lived experiences and stories of BIPOC and immigrant members of the Palo Alto community.

Honarmand has completed the research and community engagement phases of the residency, grounding the project in both historical context and lived experience. Through outreach to local organizations and historical research, followed by multilingual surveys, interviews, and hands-on workshops held across Palo Alto, she invited residents to share personal stories and reflections on home and belonging. In total, 181 survey responses were collected in six languages, representing family histories from more than 45 countries. The below attached report summarizes findings from this first phase of the residency, documenting key themes, outreach efforts, and community insights.

King Artist Residency Report: Research and Community Engagement Phases(PDF, 6MB)

These collective insights are now shaping the current design phase of the residency, as community voices inform the creation of a public artwork centered on connection, inclusion, and shared experience. Drawing directly from community stories, survey findings, and workshop insights, Honarmand is refining the concept for a site-specific public art installation for King Plaza.

On View Now

Toward the Then and There by Aleo Landeta and Kit Robbins

Toward the Then and There, 2025. 

Aleo Landeta in collaboration with Kit Robbins. Hand-etched stainless steel, LED light, refurbished payphone with audio testimonies of queer and trans Palo Alto community participants. On view through Summer 2026. 

 

This sculpture is the culmination of Aleo Landeta's residency project focused on the lived experiences of LGBTQAI+ community members residing and/or working in Palo Alto.

More Information 

Past Residencies

Past Residencies

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